"I showed that last year": George Russell not worried about his relative pace against Lewis Hamilton

George Russell is not too worried about his relative pace compared to Lewis Hamilton as he feels he's already proven what he can do last season.

The Mercedes driver has had an impressive start to life with the team. He picked up his first win and pole position last season and has been rated very highly by his peers as well.

The second season with Mercedes has also started on a positive note for George Russell as he has out-qualified Lewis Hamilton in all three races. Having said that, according to the young driver, he's not overtly focused on where he stands against his teammate. Talking about the expectations he has for himself, Russell said that comparing himself against Lewis is not very high on his priorities.

He has already proved he can do it last season and how that is not the main focus. He said in an interview with Square Mile:

“For me, being team-mates with Lewis is such a golden opportunity. Especially now that the car isn’t performing as we want. Having him as my team-mate has saved me in some regard, because if he had retired or left the sport when I joined the team, and we took this step backwards, people would be pointing the blame towards me!"

He added:

“But I feel like now I’ve proven my worth and I’ve proven what I’m capable of, so there’s no pressure in that regard. I’m out there to do the best job possible and I think that is a very fortunate position to be in."

"I’m not worried about any statistics or making sure that I’m on Lewis’s pace or whatever because I feel like I showed that last year. What a position to be in to go up against the greatest ever.”

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George Russell will not take the Lewis Hamilton challenge lightly

Contrary to what George Russell continues to claim, he's not going to take the Lewis Hamilton challenge lightly. Having Lewis Hamilton as his teammate can prove to be a legacy-defining experience for him as he builds his legacy.

While he continues to claim that beating Lewis is not a priority, it's hard to believe that for now. The Mercedes driver knows how highly he would be rated if he stamps his authority over his teammate, and for that very reason, he's not going to lift the foot off the pedal.

Lewis Hamilton vs George Russell is going to be very intriguing, especially since the former champion is yet to sign an extension with the team.